Members of the Lubbock Fire Department converse outside a burned home on Erskine Street in Lubbock Sunday afternoon. They believe the fire was started by a space heater and badly damaged the rear area of the home.Sunday, November 16, 2008. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

The fire, which was reported around 9:30 a.m., quickly engulfed the 65-year-old man's residence at 3009 Erskine St. sending flames shooting through the windows and holes in the badly damaged roof.

Capt. Marlin Hamilton, assistant Lubbock fire marshal, said the fire started in the bathroom at the rear of the home, where a space heater ignited paint thinner and other flammable items. A faulty gas line was also found in the area.

"There were a lot of things in the environment that could have contributed," Hamilton said, adding though it wasn't the first fire fatality of the year, it was the first of the cold season. The stove top also was left on when investigators arrived, leading Hamilton to believe the man may have been using the appliance to heat his home, which had poor insulation.

Because such appliances release high amounts of carbon monoxide, he said, the victim may have been disoriented when he tried to put out the blaze.

Neighbors gathered to watch as fire investigators and officials from the Texas Medical Examiner's office tried to piece together the morning's events, saying they knew little of their neighbor except that he had been in the neighborhood for quite some time.

"They've always been real quiet," said Eva Rangel, who lives across the street. "They kept to themselves." An autopsy is scheduled for the man at 9 a.m. today to ensure there was no foul play, but Hamilton said he expects the results to be negative.

Because the victim's next of kin may not have been notified, his name was not released.